ZOIDS ASTRAY ACT 012

 ACT 012: EXT. HOUND SOLDIER WRECK – DAY

Sunlight spills over the ruined form of the Hound Soldier. Kaster pulls himself toward it, his body barely holding together, Zoid-organic tissue knitting his wounds.

A shadow falls across him.

UNKNOWN VOICE (O.S.)
There you are.

Kaster tries to sit up, but his broken frame collapses again.

KASTER
Gats…?

Feet descend—hovering, weightless—before gently touching the ground in front of him.

GATS (O.S.)
Kaster.

Reveal GATS: tall, dark-haired, glasses glinting in the sun. He wears a lab coat over a sleek combat suit. His expression? Smug as hell. Arms open wide—welcoming, mocking.

GATS
Look at you. You ARE a mess.

He crouches beside Kaster, inspecting him like a failed experiment.

KASTER
Help me...

GATS (grinning)
Help you? You had one job.
And I’m going to go out on a limb—

He glances at Kaster’s severed leg, grin widening.

GATS (deadpan)
No pun intended. But it looks like you failed.

KASTER (straining)
Eight... Eight did this...

GATS
Oh, I know.
I never expected him of all people to switch sides.
(pauses, then waves a hand)
As it were.

Gats' smile drops—replaced with a flash of fury.

GATS (furious)
ONE. JOB. KASTER.
GET. HER. BACK.

Kaster winces as the words crash into him.

GATS (adjusting glasses, calm once more)
But you failed. Completely.

He leans in, observing the shifting Zoid tissue at Kaster’s torso.

GATS
Huh. I’d call you useless, but this... this is interesting.

KASTER
The... Zoid ites?

GATS (with a sneer)
How many times do I have to say it? Zoy-Dites.
(slower, emphasising) Zoidites.

He produces a pen and casually probes the wound —casual, clinical. Kaster cries out, recoiling.

GATS
Fascinating. They’re meant to suppress pain—shut down the receptors during repair.
Maybe you’re just too far-gone.
(mock sympathy)
I mean, look at you.
You’re literally half the man you used to be.

He stands, slipping the pen back into his pocket. As he turns, thick black cables and tubes snake from his back—lifting him slowly into the air.

He gives Kaster one final, detached look.

GATS
Don’t worry.
You can still be of use.

(Beat)

GATS
As nourishment for my Virodahaka.

Kaster’s eyes go wide—

Metallic tendrils erupt from the shadow, punching through the Hound Soldier wreckage and Kaster alike. He screams as they drag him—limp, broken—into the darkness.

SMASH TO BLACK.

INT - GUSTAV CABIN BUNK AREA

Dim emergency lights cast a pale blue over the bunkroom. Neku lies in bed, pale, bandaged, breathing shallow. A gentle beep hums from nearby equipment.

Bob stands over her, silent.